In
the area of satellite control, the DoD, together with NASA and the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), developed a comprehensive
architecture for future Satellite Operations (SATOPS) in the 2020 timeframe.
The SATOPS Architecture Transistion Plan includes conducting launch, early-orbit
checkout anomaly resolution, and low data rate operations, using a single
interoperable ground- and space-network for DoD, NASA, NOAA, and the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO). This Government network allows for increased
interoperability and reduced ground infrastructure. Towards this goal,
the Air Force Satellite Control Network began upgrading its remote tracking
stations to be compatible with Unified S-Band (USB), the band in which
NASA conducts its own satellite operations.

In
terms of environmental monitoring, the National Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is a tri-agency program of the
Departments of Defense and Commerce (DOC) and NASA. In FY 2000, the NPOESS
Integrated Program Office (IPO) awarded two system program definition
and risk-reduction contracts. In addition, the IPO continued critical
contract down-select activities for the suite of environmental sensors
that will fly on NPOESS. The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP), an IPO
and NASA joint mission, continued to progress in FY 2000. A joint DoD/NOAA/NASA
working group conducted a successful mission requirements review on the
way to the 2005 NPP launch.

DoD,
NASA, NOAA, and other Federal agencies completed a Space Weather Architecture
Transition Plan which received National Security Space Senior Steering
Group (NSS SSG) approval during FY 2000. The plan outlines actions and
activities which will start the implementation of the recommendations
from the comprehensive 1999 National Security Space Architect Space Weather
Architecture Study over the next several years, part of which is the Governments
multiagency investment strategy. This study laid out the structure for
a space weather architecture to meet all U.S. Government requirements
and mitigate the adverse impacts of solar events by the year 2025. The
NSS SSG, via an Architecture Implementation Memorandum, directed stakeholder
organizations and agencies to start implementing actions.

The
DOD successfully launched the Tri-Service Experiments Mission 5 (TSX-5)
on a Pegasus launch vehicle in FY 2000. The TSX-5 mission operates two
experimental payloads for 6 months to 1 year in support of two DoD Space
Experiments Review Board experiments. The two experiments are the Space
Technology Research Vehicle-2 (STRV-2) and the Compact Environmental Anomaly
Sensor (CEASE). STRV-2 is a multinational, highly integrated suite of
experiments designed to push the envelope of space-based imaging technology,
satellite vibration suppression, and material science. STRV-2 is sponsored
by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. CEASE is an environmental
scanner, providing the spacecraft with essential knowledge about the surrounding
space. CEASE used this flight to prove its near-spacecraft environmental
assessment capabilities. Phillips Laboratory Geophysics Laboratory sponsors
CEASE.

The
DOD, via the U.S. Air Force, also successfully launched Defense Meteorological
Satellite Program Satellite 15 (DMSP S-15) from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
California, on a Titan II booster in FY 2000. This DoD polar-orbiting
weather satellite mission will ultimately converge with NOAAs polar-orbiting
mission to form NPOESS. S-15 is the first DMSP satellite whose post-launch
checkout was conducted from NOAAs Satellite Operations Control Center
in Suitland, Maryland. Previous DMSP postlaunch checkouts were conducted
from Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Last year, as part of the merger
designed to promote efficiency and cut down public expense, the DoD transferred
control of its weather satellites to NOAA and closed the 6th Space Operations
Squadron at Offutt after nearly 35 years of continuous operations. The
Air Force Reserve now operates a backup DMSP command and control facility
at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. NOAAs Suitland facility is
now the primary location for providing functions associated with command
and control of all U.S. weather satellites, including early orbit checkout
following launch operations, satellite state-of- health maintenance, and
satellite sensor and payload management.

In
the area of space-based communications, programs achieved several key
milestones in FY 2000 with several launches and major programmatic decisions.
The first Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellite equipped
with the Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) package was launched
in January 2000. The second of four was successfully launched in October
2000. These satellites represent a significant increase in capability
over the DSCS III satellites, with higher-powered transponders and greater
total system capacity, up to a 200 percent increase. Regarding the highly
protected SatCom systems, DoD will be accelerating the first satellite
in the Advanced EHF satellite system to mitigate the loss of the the Milstar
Flight 3 satellite in April 1999. For mobile communications, the UHF Follow-On
(UFO) 10 satellite was launched in November 1999, ensuring the UFO constellation
will continue to provide global UHF coverage well into the future.

In
the area of positioning and navigation, as directed by President Clinton,
Selective Availability (SA) was discontinued shortly after midnight on
May 1, 2000. The currently planned Global Positioning System (GPS) modernization
program will add new military signals (known as the M-code) and a second
civil signal to some Block IIR and all Block IIF satellites, and will
add a third civil signal on the Block IIF satellites. Since SA was discontinued,
horizontal position errors of less than 10 meters have routinely been
observed. Worldwide transportation safety, scientific, and commercial
interests benefit from the increased accuracy.

Plans
were put in place for a significant investment over the next several years
to modernize GPS to enhance its ability to meet both military and civil
needs for the foreseeable future. The currently planned GPS modernization
program will add new military signals (known as the M-code) to Block IIR
and IIF satellites, a second civil signal on IIR satellites, and a third
civil signal (L5) on IIF satellites. Since the GPS modernization program
will address both military and civil requirements, a Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) was signed with the Department of Transportation. This MOA provides
for formal civil participation in the modernization activities.

The
Secretaries of Defense and Transportation jointly signed the latest revision
of the Federal Radionavigation Plan. This plan outlines future policies
for Government-provided radionavigation services for the foreseeable future
and is updated biennially.

The
Department completed a Presidentially mandated Broad Area Review that
resulted from the three consecutive launch failures of the Titan IV system
in 1999. Several of the resultant recommendations have been completed
with the remaining items at various stages of completion.

In
September 2000, DoD also restructured its Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
(EELV) program to include additional risk-reduction efforts. It increased
technical personnel to provide Government oversight of critical processes.
In April 2000, contractor-defined Critical Design Reviews for EELV systems
were completed. In August 2000, DoD completed and received approval from
the Department of State to support importing of technical drawing and
manufacturing processes required to support U.S. coproduction of the RD-180
engine, still awaiting approval from the Russian government for license
to export required documentation.

The
interagency report on Future Management and Use of U.S. Space Launch Bases
and Ranges was released on February 8, 2000. This report identified several
key recommendations that have been incorporated into near-term plans of
several agencies, including DoD, DoT, DoC, and NASA.

The
DoD successfully launched 12 satellites using the Pegasus, Minotaur, Delta,
Atlas, and Titan IV vehicles. The DoD successfully demonstrated the Minotaur
launch system in January 2000. The Minotaur is a derivative vehicle using
components of the Minuteman II vehicle.

In
the areas of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, the Space
Based Infrared System (SBIRS) made significant progress toward fielding
the followon system to the Nations Defense Support Program (DSP)
missile launch early warning satellites. SBIRS is fielded in three increments.
The technical difficulties in 1999 that had set back the transition to
a new mission control station have been resolved. The program is now on
a clear path to declaring an initial operating capability for the SBIRS
Increment 1 in November of 2001. Increment 1 consolidated the DSPs
overseas ground stations located in Europe and Australia, with the old
U.S. ground station into a single mission-control station located at Buckley
Air Force Base, Colorado. The overseas sites were replaced with minimally
staffed relay ground stations in order to realize savings in staffing,
operations, and maintenance. The addition of the SBIRS High component,
also known as SBIRS Increment 2, has made significant progress
in detailed design work for the key components of the system.

An
integrated DoD Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability
advanced considerably in 2000 with the publishing of the ISR Integrated
Capstone Strategic Plan. This plan affects both space and airborne collection
systems and their ground processing and exploitation segments.

The
DoD Space Test Program (STP) continued its 35-year legacy of enabling
future DoD space superiority. STP had six launches during FY 2000, including
three major satellite missions, using four different boosters plus the
Space Shuttle. One of the major missions was Tri-Service Experiments-5,
which carried a BMDO payload that has already proven the ability to detect
from space nonafterburning threats such as cruise missiles. The Multi-Spectral
Thermal Imager satellite was launched by STP in a partnership with DoE;
it is now demonstrating state-of-the-art imaging technology for treaty
monitoring, bomb damage assessment, and battlefield intelligence. The
Air Force Research Lab and STP collaborated on the Mightysat II.1 mission.
That spacecraft is proving the utility of an experimental hyperspectral
imager on a low-cost light satellite.

DoD
also completed an extensive review of the Space Control Mission Area and
began the implementation of several of the recommendations from the review
that the Deputy Secretary of Defense had directed. The primary area of
emphasis was in space surveillance with the designation of the Air Force
as the lead system integrator. The space control technology effort within
the Air Force continued to identify and develop critical technology to
meet DoD requirements.

The
successfully completed Space Control Broad Area Review that was directed
by the Deputy Secretary of Defense resulted in 26 specific taskings in
5 major areas: space surveillance, space system protection, space prevention,
space negation, and operations. Efforts continued to supervise and track
tasking accomplishments. Completion and approval of the results of the
Space Surveillance Task Force (SSTF) was one of the significant accomplishments.